Calorie-controlled diet ‘can delay debilitating effects of ageing’

A calorie-controlled diet and regular exercise delays some of the debilitating effects of ageing, a study has shown.

Conducted by researchers from Harvard University, the study involved mice genetically engineered so their nerve cells glowed in fluorescent colours.

They found that exercise and caloric restriction rejuvenates the connections between nerves and the muscles that they control, which can prevent some of the health problems related with ageing.

“Caloric restriction and exercise have numerous, dramatic effects on our mental acuity and motor ability,” said Joshua Sanes, a professor of molecular and cellular biology and director of the Center for Brain Science at Harvard.

He went on to say that this new research suggests these “extremely powerful lifestyle factors” attenuate or reverse the decline in synapses.

Back in December, research from the Institute of Healthy Ageing at University College London claimed that a vegetarian diet can slow the ageing process.

Would you adopt a calorie-controlled diet if it was proven to delay age-related illnesses?